Effects of Dopamine on Motor Recovery and Training in Adults and Children With Nonprogressive Neurological Injuries: A Systematic Review.
Catherine L Bradley, Diane L Damiano
PMID 30913975WHAT IT FOUND
Evidence for dopamine medication was mixed.
Some levodopa stroke studies showed motor improvement, but evidence for traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, and spinal cord injury was weak.
Key findings
01Longer levodopa courses given with therapy showed positive motor effects in stroke trials.
02Single-dose levodopa results were mixed, with no difference in one trial and better motor learning in another.
03Levodopa did not improve motor recovery, walking, or activities of daily living in incomplete spinal cord injury.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The review combined studies with very different medications, doses, therapy co-interventions, and times after injury. Many studies were small or case reports, so positive results may not apply broadly. Therapy details were often missing, so medication effects cannot be separated from training effects. Safety reporting was incomplete, and long-term effects were not established. Genetic findings were mostly retrospective associations, not proof of causation.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The article is listed as supported by NIH intramural research.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that dopamine medication is proven to improve motor recovery. The evidence is inconsistent, many studies were small, and therapy details were often missing.